The purpose of an AR 15 charging handle is very simple: It "charges" your rifle. It certainly isn't as glamorous as an AR-15 trigger or an AR-15 handguard, but it serves its purpose. And just like rifles themselves, some charging handles are better than others; this leads us to the RISE Armament RA-212 Extended Latch Charging Handle. Why the RISE RA-212 AR-15 Charging Handle Stands Out After you insert a magazine into your rifle, you pull back on the charging handle. This process allows the bolt to grab a round and feed it into the chamber. After that, you're ready to shoot. However, not all charging handles are equal.